The present invention relates to an instrument panel support assembly in a motor vehicle.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
Instrument panel supports to be arranged in a motor vehicle are known in the art, wherein the instrument panel supports are arranged in the motor vehicle interior between the A-columns. The instrument panel supports typically have a transverse tube extending from one column across the width of the vehicle to the opposite column. Attachments are attached to the instrument panel support, such as a steering column, airbag units, a power distribution box or the like. To this end, holes are provided on the transverse tube of the instrument panel support or arms are attached thereto that serve to accommodate the aforementioned components.
Such instrument panel support is usually supported in a central area on a transmission tunnel of the motor vehicle by an arm, wherein the aforementioned arms are in each case materially coupled to the instrument panel support.
Because an instrument panel support is attached below a dashboard, it is a component that, on the one hand, does not have to satisfy a highly complex functionality in a crash and that, on the other hand, does not have to satisfy aesthetic design requirements. Consequently, it is important for an instrument panel support that it can be produced particularly inexpensively and functionally while simultaneously having a low weight.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to obviate prior art shortcomings and to provide an improved instrument panel support, to which attachments can be easily connected and/or which can be readily mounted inside a vehicle, and which is at the same time particularly inexpensive to produce and has a low weight.